


Body Temperature

by SyntheticWinter



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:03:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SyntheticWinter/pseuds/SyntheticWinter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Leviathan DLC</p><p>After spending an hour in the icy waters, Shepard's body temperature is low. Kaidan decides to use his body heat to warm Shepard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Body Temperature

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the Mass Effect Kinkmeme.

Kaidan was pissed.

As he half-dragged, half-carried Shepard to the elevator, he reflected on the frustrating, irritating, stupidity that was Shepard’s MO. 

They’d just returned from 2181 Despoina. God, that had been tough. Not the fighting – he was far too used to that, even with the Brutes and the Banshees. No, it had been the waiting that was the hardest. 

He’d tried to stop Shepard. He’d started to express his concerns over this half-brained, idiotic, probably-going-to-fail plan, but Shepard had brushed him off with the utter disregard for his own safety he usually showed. Watching that old, rusted mech walk off the edge of the dock and sink beneath the ocean’s surface… Kaidan shuddered at the memory.

As the minutes had dragged on, his anxiety had increased. Shepard was either taking his sweet time, or he’d encountered trouble. Maybe he’d found Leviathan and the creature was not as… amenable to cooperating as he was banking on. Or maybe the pressure that far down had crushed the mech, rated for diving or no. Or maybe the air had run out and Shepard was slowly suffocating. Again.

He’d been distracted when the next wave came at them, and more than once James had to yell at him to watch his six or shoot something that was just about on top of Kaidan. When the dock had shuddered he’d spun around, expecting… something big and horrible. The relief he felt at seeing the mech shudder was quickly eclipsed by fear as Shepard tumbled out – right into the path of a Brute. When another Brute turned on its brother, Kaidan didn’t bother to wonder why; all his attention was focused on getting to Shepard and getting him safely out of there and back to the shuttle.

The readings from his omnitool frightened him. Shepard was so cold, and he was barely breathing. God, don’t let this be it. Then Shepard coughed, claimed he only had a headache, and proceeded to do what Shepard did best – pretend he was fine, get on with leading, shut Kaidan out. 

Kaidan wasn’t fooled.

When Shepard stumbled as he exited the shuttle back in the safety of the Normandy’s docking bay [?], Kaidan was there to catch him. Subtly, of course, just a shoulder under his arm and an arm around his waist to help support him. They made it to the elevator and Shepard leaned against the wall, giving him a small, grateful smile. Kaidan tried to return the gesture, though he suspected it looked more like a grimace.

The elevator seemed to take even longer than usual on its slow ascent.

Finally, finally, the doors swished open. Shepard moved to exit ahead of Kaidan and almost fell again. Kaidan rushed forward and caught him, helping him the two steps across the hall to his quarters. He spared a moment to silently thank EDI for having changed the access so he could get in last week. 

Once safely inside, he began stripping Shepard, peeling away his armor and storing it in the locker – he would cart it back down to the armory for a proper cleaning later. The undersuit followed the hardsuit, and Shepard was left in just his boxer-briefs. Kaidan quickly shucked his own armor and underarmor and led the shivering Shepard to the shower room. 

His skin was so cold. 

Kaidan started the water and waited until it was hot against his hand before stripping off Shepard’s underwear and gently urging him under the spray. After a moment’s consideration, he decided his own body heat would help warm Shepard up faster, so he stripped down as well and joined Shepard under the hot stream of water. The man made to reach for the soap and Kaidan knocked his hand away, making a vague noise that might have meant “don’t do that.” Or it might have meant any number of other things, but Shepard took it how it was intended and let his arm fall back to his side as Kaidan grabbed the soap he’d been reaching for and started to lather Shepard’s chest and shoulders, chafing the skin as much as washing him, pressing himself as close as possible while still allowing his hands room to move.

He moved down his biceps and forearms to his hands, paying attention to each individual finger. He worked his way around to Shepard’s back, whispering to him to turn around so he could reach. Shepard complied without protest or comment – unusual, for him. It was only one sign of many that Shepard was definitely not as okay as he was pretending after whatever had happened down there. 

Kaidan took Shepard’s hands and placed them on the wall, encouraging him to brace himself as Kaidan started to soap between his shoulder blades. Shepard moaned faintly as he massaged a particularly stubborn knot in the muscle, and Kaidan dragged his fingernails down Shepard’s spine, eliciting a delicious shiver. He spent long minutes lathering Shepard’s lower back, enjoying the way Shepard arched back into his touch when his fingers strayed lower to the tops of his buttocks.

He spent scant moments there before moving on, rubbing down Shepard’s strong thighs to his knees to his calves. He lifted each of Shepard’s feet one at a time to scrub at the bottoms. Gentle hands on Shepard’s hips urged him to turn around, and Kaidan worked the soap between his toes before moving back up his legs to his thighs. He lingered here, caressing more than was strictly necessary for cleanliness. Shepard was half-hard in front of him and getting harder. Kaidan smiled, but didn’t reach out to touch him there, much as he may have wanted to. Instead, he leaned forward and nuzzled into the crease of Shepard’s groin and hip. He bit lightly and one of Shepard’s hands came down to tangle in his hair. Kaidan smirked and bit harder, worrying the skin between his teeth, quite intentionally leaving a mark. Shepard’s fingers tightened in his hair as he made a small sound, and Kaidan moved to where Shepard really wanted him.

He licked gently at the head, swirling his tongue into the slit to get more of the flavor. He hummed softly and did it again, enjoying the taste. Shepard’s hips jerked, an aborted little movement, both wanting and not wanting to force Kaidan, but Kaidan just opened his mouth and took him inside in one quick move. The weight of Shepard on his tongue, the feeling of him hardening in his mouth, the head pressing firmly against the back of his throat… Kaidan moaned faintly and began to suck, hollowing his cheeks as he drew back to tongue the head before sinking down again as far as he could, using one hand to stroke what he couldn’t quite take. Above him, Shepard was making choked noises interspersed with moans as his fingers tightened further in Kaidan’s hair, still not forcing or controlling. Kaidan sucked harder, removing his hand from the base and placing both hands on Shepard’s hips, encouraging him. Shepard took it for what it was and started to gently thrust his hips, pushing himself deeper into Kaidan’s mouth. His movements were still tentative, but as Kaidan moaned around him, he grew more aggressive, fingers tangling tightly in Kaidan’s hair, holding his head in place as he began to thrust harder.

Kaidan took it, humming contentedly. He loved it when Shepard got like this. He shifted one hand around to Shepard’s ass to encourage him further. He could feel that Shepard was getting close by the way he shuddered under Kaidan’s hands, by the way he began to get louder as he thrust even deeper down Kaidan’s throat. He gave Shepard’s ass an encouraging squeeze and looked up to find Shepard staring down at him, biting his lip. Shepard’s eyes were dark as he watched himself sliding between Kaidan’s lips. Kaidan moaned again, ready to swallow him down, but Shepard abruptly pulled back, tugging Kaidan to his feet with his grip on the biotic’s hair. 

He crushed their lips together, tongue pushing into Kaidan’s mouth, tasting himself. Kaidan rested his hands lightly on Shepard’s hips, unable to resist grinding himself against the other man when Shepard arched into him. He pressed Shepard against the wall, pinning him with his hips, relishing the friction between their hard cocks.

His hands roamed over as much of Shepard’s skin as he could reach, stroking over strong shoulders, finding scars he’d been there for – and some he hadn’t. He hoped Shepard would tell him those stories some time. His fingers tweaked one of Shepard’s nipples, enjoying the way the man gasped against his mouth and arched into the touch. Shepard shoved him back, panting heavily. “In me,” he breathed, locking his eyes onto Kaidan’s. Kaidan moaned at the heat there, at the thin ring of blue around dilated pupils, at the flush under Shepard’s skin as he kissed Kaidan again, hard and rough, before turning once again to face the wall.

Shepard’s skin was no longer cold; in fact, it was almost burning hot. But Kaidan pressed himself close against Shepard’s back anyway, knowing how sometimes the cold got into your bones. His cock settled in the cleft of Shepard’s ass and he rocked his hips gently. Shepard gave a soft moan and pressed back. Kaidan’s hands settled on Shepard’s hips, controlling their movements as he sucked and bit at the nape of Shepard’s neck. Shepard shivered under his hands and teeth, but Kaidan knew this time, it wasn’t from cold. 

With one final sharp bite, he pulled back, reaching for the lube they kept in here for situations just like this one. Shepard jumped a little when his slick fingers brushed his hole and Kaidan pulled back, kissing his shoulder in apology as he rubbed his fingers together to warm the lube. When he returned them, he slipped one inside quickly but smoothly. Shepard’s gasp was almost lost in the sound of the water pouring down around them. Kaidan leaned closer, torn between listening to the sounds Shepard made and watching as he slid a second finger in beside the first. 

Shepard pressed back to meet him, making a low sound in his throat, and Kaidan twisted his fingers deeper, spreading the digits gently to stretch the other man. Suddenly, strong fingers clamped around his wrist and he froze, worried that he had hurt him. Shepard tugged, and his fingers slipped free, coming to rest on Shepard’s hip. He started to urge the other man to turn to face him, so he could find out what was wrong, apologize, do something, but Shepard resisted the movement. He did look back over his shoulder, though, and Kaidan was relieved to see the same fire smoldering in his eyes. “Now,” he growled, reaching back to grasp Kaidan’s cock, trying to drag him into position.

Kaidan chuckled and reached for the lube again, quickly slicking his cock before shifting forward to line himself up. He gripped Shepard’s hips tightly, holding him still as he slowly pressed forward. Shepard gasped as the head breached him and fought Kaidan’s grip, fought to push back against him, to take him faster and deeper than Kaidan was moving. But Kaidan used his weight to pin Shepard’s hips and shoulders against the wall and continued at his own pace, slowly sinking into the incredible heat and tightness.

He came to rest pressed as deeply inside Shepard as he could get. Shepard released a quiet moan and struggled harder, but Kaidan tightened his grip and remained still. Finally, Shepard leaned his forehead against the cool tiles of the shower, panting, but no longer fighting Kaidan. Satisfied, Kaidan gave himself a moment longer to regain control, then started the slow slide out. 

Slick, tight muscles gripped his cock as he pulled out, only to welcome him back as he pushed back inside. Shepard clenched around him, almost like he didn’t want Kaidan to pull out, and Kaidan moaned. He pushed forward again, slightly harder, slightly faster. 

Shepard’s hips bucked on his next thrust, surprising Kaidan enough that his grip loosened and Shepard succeeded in pushing back to meet him, taking him deeper. Kaidan bit his lip at the sound of Shepard’s groan – low, somewhat desperate. Pleading. The other man gasped, and while Kaidan was enjoying the sounds Shepard was making, he knew he could elicit even more. 

On his next thrust, he changed his angle, searching for the one that would make Shepard-

Yep. 

Shepard cried out, arching his back sharply to push his hips even closer to Kaidan’s. Kaidan smiled, continuing to thrust at the same angle, savoring Shepard’s moans and gasping cries. 

Water glistened across Shepard’s broad shoulders and back, trickling down his spine to pool between them where they were pressed tightly together. Kaidan’s hand slipped on Shepard’s hip, accidentally slamming him into the wall, but Shepard didn’t seem to mind. There would probably be bruises, both from the impact with the wall and from the force of Kaidan’s grip, but Shepard didn’t seem to mind that, either. He shifted the hand that had slipped up to grip Shepard’s shoulder, pinning his upper body firmly against the wall as he looked down between their bodies to watch himself sliding into Shepard. 

Shepard was meeting him thrust for thrust, panting and moaning and generally making a lot of very arousing noise. One of his hands slid from the wall down to stroke himself in time with Kaidan’s movement inside him. Kaidan moved the hand that was pinning Shepard’s shoulder to grip his jaw. He turned Shepard’s head and crushed their lips together in a messy, awkward kiss. Their tongues tangled wetly as they fought for dominance. Shepard gave in with a whimper, and Kaidan wrapped his arm around Shepard’s waist, threading his fingers through Shepard’s on his cock so they could both stroke him.

Shepard’s hips bucked erratically a few times before he bit down on Kaidan’s lip, hard, and came. Kaidan tasted blood as he thrust hard once, twice, before shoving in as far as he could and spilling himself deep inside Shepard. 

He came back to himself long moments later, still inside Shepard, still pinning him to the wall, though less firmly. The shower was still running, and he noticed with some disappointment that it had washed Shepard’s come down the drain. He’d wanted to taste him. Next time, he promised himself.

He withdrew carefully, kissing Shepard’s shoulder when the other man let out a quiet hiss. Shepard turned and pulled him into a gentle kiss. They broke apart when the water started to turn cool. How, Kaidan sometimes wondered, could they have developed mass effect drives but still lack the technology to heat a lot of water? 

He grabbed a towel and dried Shepard off slowly, letting his fingers brush the shower-warmed skin of Shepard’s chest. He toweled himself off much more economically, ending with his hair. When he pulled the towel down, he noticed Shepard staring at him, fondly or faintly amused, it was hard to tell.

“What?” he asked.

“Just… you.” He paused for a moment, then continued more quietly. “Thank you. I needed that.”

“I needed it, too. Just,” Kaidan took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing what he was going to ask would be impossible but asking it anyway. “Just don’t do that again, okay?”

And Shepard nodded, pulling him into a tight hug, cradling the back of Kaidan’s head as the sentinel buried his face against Shepard’s neck, his fear fading to be replaced by relief. Even if Shepard didn’t mean it – and he probably did, now; he just wouldn’t be able to hold himself to it, too accustomed to charging in to protect everyone else. But even if Shepard didn’t mean it, the important thing was that he was here, now, and would fight to stay that way. For Kaidan.


End file.
